thrust him in, he doubly barred the iron door. And now again
retiring to his couch, this new-wrought mischief, which greatly
gratified his raging mind, soon sunk him down into a sound and
heavy sleep. The reason this horrid monster had not long ago
devoured his little captive (for he thought him a delicious
morsel) was, that he might never want an object at hand to gratify
his cruelty. For though extremely great was his voracious hunger,
yet greater still was his desire of tormenting; and oftentimes
when he had teased, beat, and tortured the poor gentle Mignon, so
as to force from him tears, and sometimes a soft complaint, he
would, with a malicious sneer, scornfully reproach him in the
following words: 'Little does it avail to whine, to blubber, or
complain; for, remember, abject wretch,

I am a giant, and I can eat thee:
Thou art a dwarf, and thou canst not eat me.'

When Mignon was thus alone, he threw himself on the cold ground,
bemoaning his unhappy fate. However, he soon recollected that
patience and resignation were his only succour in this distressful
condition; not doubting but that, as goodness cannot always
suffer, he should in time meet with some unforeseen deliverance
from the savage power of the inhuman Barbarico.

Whilst the gentle Mignon was endeavouring to comfort himself in
his dungeon with these good reflections, he suddenly perceived, at
a little distance from him, a small glimmering light. Immediately
he rose from the ground, and going towards it, found that it shone
through a little door that had been left at jar, which led him to
a spacious hall, wherein the giant hoarded his immense treasures.